BYMT Summer International Piano & Composition School 2015

August 3, 2015

It was my second year teaching at Yamaha Bromley Youth Music Trust Summer International Piano & Composition School 2015. It is probably the best and encoutaging festival of this kind directed by the great pianist and pedagogue Lora Dimitrova and composer-pianist Fred Scott. In addition to them the legends Mikhail Kazekevich. Michael Dolovich, and Graeme Humphrey, Carole Pressland and Elena Zozina joined the faculty. It was an intense three days of music making from all ages, levels and background but what made this gathering special was that every single one had a true love and dedication for the music. This is a rare quality appreciated in recent years where classical music courses and festivals have turned to competitive nature. Thanks to the generous heart of Lora Dimitrova and all faculty members, at BYMT such competitiveness was completely absent. It was a genuine celebration of sharing the passion of music.

Students ranged from a little 7-year old child playing with the strength and musicality, teenage children wishing to enter music conservatoires, adult students who are already professional pianists, or dilettante who would flawlessly play such repertoire as Liszt’s ‘La Campanella’. Each day was packed with a series of piano masterclasses, composition classes, keyboard ensembles for young students (directed by the exceptional Michael Dolovich who brings joy to everyone), lunch-time and evening recitals by students and faculty members including myself. We started and ended the day with sweat and smile! These three days shifted everyone’s level of playing and musicianship to another level. I feel extremely fortunate to be a part of BYMT and I hope more people will experience benefit form them.